Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Boonville man has been charged with second-degree felony murder in a 2021 overdose death that occurred in Columbia.

Cameron Comstock, 25, is accused of selling fentanyl to a woman on Nov. 6, 2021. A warrant was ordered on Tuesday and no bond was set. A court date has not been scheduled. He is being held at Northeast Correctional Center for other charges.

The probable cause statement says that police were called to the 2600 block of Quail Drive on Nov. 7, 2021, for a report of a dead woman at a residence.

A roommate allegedly told police that the woman had bought fentanyl from Comstock the day before, the statement says. Court documents say that a drug at the scene tested positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl.

Comstock allegedly took a vehicle from the residence, police found it the same day and a chase ensued, court documents say. Comstock allegedly told police that the victim asked him to find heroine and sold her a gram for $100, the statement says.

Comstock allegedly showed police text messages of the deal getting set up, the statement says.

Court documents say that an autopsy showed the woman died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Court filings show he is serving time for multiple cases. In one case, he pleaded guilty to first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle, resisting arrest, leaving the scene of an accident and misdemeanor reckless driving. In another case he pleaded guilty to stealing a vehicle.  

He was sentenced to probation in both cases, but it was revoked after a violation. He also pleaded guilty in another case to first-degree tampering with a vehicle and misdemeanor driving while revoked. He is serving a 12-year sentence in total.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Mexican national who previously lived in Osage Beach was indicted by a federal grand jury on Tuesday for two felonies, according to a press release from the Department of Justice.

Israel Ramirez-Jaramillo, 33, was charged with illegal reentry by a previously deported immigrant and being an illegal alien with a gun.

The release says Ramirez-Jaramillo was found with a gun on April 20 and that he was previously deported on July 13, 2011. It also states that he never obtained the consent from the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reapply for admission.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman was seriously injured Monday night in a crash on eastbound Interstate 44 in Pulaski County, according to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The report says the crash occurred after a 29-year-old St. Robert man lost control of his 2016 Hyundai Genesis on the wet roadway, overcorrected and went off the right side of the road. The car then became airborne and hit several trees, the report says.

A 26-year-old Waynesville woman – who was a passenger in the vehicle – was seriously injured and was brought to Mercy Hospital in Springfield by ambulance, the report says. The man had minor injuries and was brought to the same hospital by ambulance, according to the report.

The vehicle was totaled.

MSHP reports do not name those involved in crashes.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Three women were injured Monday in a single-vehicle crash in the westbound lane of Interstate 44 in Phelps County near mile marker 172, according to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The report says the crash occurred as a 2024 Chrysler Sebring – driven by a 24-year-old Salem woman — went off the right side of the road, overturned and ejected all three women.

A 26-year-old passenger was flown to University Hospital in Columbia with serious injuries, the report says. The 24-year-old was brought to Phelps Health Hospital in Rolla by ambulance with serious injuries, the report says.

A 23-year-old passenger had minor injuries and was brought by ambulance to Phelps Health, the report says. None of the women were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash, the report says. The vehicle was totaled.

MSHP reports do not name those involved in crashes.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia sex offender was indicted in federal court on Tuesday for a child pornography charge, according to a press release from the Department of Justice.

Andrew Charles Nicholls, 38, was charged last month in the Western District Court of Missouri with sending and receiving child pornography. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond.

Tuesday’s press release says that Nicholls used a dark web browser to send and keep child porn.

Court documents in previous reporting say the Boone County Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crimes Task Force received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on Jan. 5 about Nicholls uploading multiple child porn files to his Google account.

Google was initially aware of the uploads on Sept. 5, the complaint says. The email on the NCMEC report matched Nicholls’ email on the sex offender registry, as did the phone number, court documents say.

The IP address also allegedly matched a device at Nicholls’ residence, court documents say. Nicholls was arrested for a different charge in March and law enforcement took his cellphone, examined it and found child porn, the complaint says.

He is also charged in Boone County with second-degree kidnapping and his bond was surrendered. He is also charged in Boone County with first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle. He appeared for a hearing on Monday by video from the jail.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 61-year-old Rolla man died in a Monday evening crash in the 17000 block of County Road 522 in Maries County, according to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The report says that the crash occurred as a 2021 Can-Am Defender UTV – driven by a 61-year-old Rolla woman – was heading westbound when it went off the right side of the road and hit a tree. Both people in the vehicle were “partially ejected,” the report says.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene by the Maries County coroner.

Neither person utilized a safety device, the report says. The woman was brought to Phelps Health Hospital in Rolla with serious injuries, the report says.

MSHP reports do not name those involved in crashes.

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Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Missouri lawmaker is pushing for changes in how long-term care facilities in the state operate.

Senate Bill 733, sponsored by Stephen Webber (D-Columbia), would modify several provisions related to long-term care facilities.

Current law states that a certificate of need is not required to transfer ownership of an existing and operational health facility in its entirety. The bill would change that, requiring a certificate of need for any transfer involving assisted living, intermediate care, residential or skilled nursing facilities.

The bill would modify long-term care facility licensing by requiring applications to disclose all facility owners, trustees and companies with ownership in the facility. It would also tighten licensing requirements by mandating that applications disclose all facility owners, trustees, and any companies providing administrative, clinical, or financial services, including real estate investment trusts.

Additionally, the bill sets minimum staffing requirements, mandating that registered nurses and certified nursing assistants provide care for a specified amount of time each day. Facilities that fail to meet those standards for two consecutive quarters may face sanctions or penalties from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

The bill sits in the Families, Seniors and Health Committee with just a few days remaining in the legislative session.

Staffing at Missouri nursing homes ranks among the worst in the nation, with the latest federal data showing the state falls second-to-last for time spent caring for residents.

Each nursing home resident in Missouri receives just 3.37 hours of nursing care per day, on average, according to quarterly data released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services late last month. 

Only Texas ranked lower. 

According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, there are about 500 facilities in the state that participate in federal Medicaid and or Medicare programs. The facilities are certified to receive funding from either one or both, depending on their certification status and the services they provide.

DHSS reports there are over 1,100 licensed long-term care facilities in Missouri, with 486 being skilled nursing facilities, 326 assisted living facilities and eight hospital-based long-term care units.

A report conducted by the Missouri Alliance for Long Term Care Reform found 161 facilities are what they considered “troubled,” with 93 not reporting their staffing numbers.

According to the report, facilities are considered “troubled” if they have a one-star rating, fall below care standards or are placed in a federal oversight program for poor performance.

Webber did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Check back at abc17news.com and watch ABC 17 News at 10 on Thursday for a special report on nursing home staffing shortfalls.

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Matthew Sanders

Editor’s Note: A sentence referencing an executive order from the 1800s has been corrected.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A longtime U.S. senator from Missouri with roots in Audrain County had died.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe said in a news release that Christopher “Kit” Bond died early Tuesday in St. Louis at age 86. He was originally from Mexico, Missouri, where his maternal grandfather, A.P. Green, was a well-known businessman.

Kehoe told ABC 17 News Tuesday that he viewed Bond as an inspiration and mentor to not only himself, but to hundreds of other people in public service.

“He knew that you needed to govern and that you couldn’t just pay attention to social media and what critics were saying,” Kehoe said. “He needed to make right decisions that were for all Missourians and I don’t know anybody that I’ve met in my political career that has done it better than Kit Bond.”

Bond was a fixture in Missouri’s political scene for decades. He was sworn in as Missouri governor in 1973 and again in 1981, then won a U.S. Senate seat in 1986. He would stay in that seat until his retirement following the 2010 election.

He was the state auditor before he was governor, winning office at age 31 over a 17-year incumbent in 1970. He was also the youngest Missourian to be elected governor.

Bond won his Senate seat after Thomas Eagleton decided not to run for reelection. Roy Blunt won the seat when Bond retired.

“His legacy as a ‘favorite son’ to his beloved State of Missouri lives on through all he achieved for his home state,” Kehoe said in a news release. “Kit touched the lives of so many men and women throughout his career, and today I join them in grieving the loss of a good man. Just as they will miss their friend and mentor, so will I. On behalf of all Missourians, Claudia and I share our deepest condolences and offer our prayers for his wife Linda, his son Sam, and the entire Bond family.”

The Bond Life Sciences Center at the University of Missouri and the Christpher S. Bond Federal Courthouse in Jefferson City bear his name.

The Missouri Primary Care Association said in a release that Bond was a champion for federally funded community health centers, which serve low-income populations. Missouri’s community health centers increased from 14 to 21 during his time in the U.S. Senate, the organization said.

“We’re now the largest primary care network in the country and I think without his support, we would not be and we would not have the 400 access points that we have around the state of Missouri today,” CEO Joe Pierle said. “Many Missourians wouldn’t be able to access medical, dental, behavioral health services.”

Bond was a social conservative who voted consistently against abortion rights and same-sex marriage. He was rated strongly by anti-abortion and evangelical groups for his Senate voting record on social issues.

“Farewell to a giant,” Missouri Republican Party chairman Peter Kinder said in a statement.

Former Missourinet Chief and historian Bob Priddy said he remembers Bond as someone who came in with a lot to prove as a 33-year-old governor and said he admired his work ethic. He also remembers one of Bond’s most infamous executive orders. It rescinded Gov. Lilburn Boggs’s order that allowed for the killing of Mormons in the 1800s when Missouri Christians and Mormons were fighting.

He also highlighted his role in reorganizing the state government in the 1970s and bringing the Parents as Teachers Program to the state.

Priddy said Bond learned how to build relationships and used those to get things done while in office.

“He wasnt afraid to tak with people across the aisle, work with people across the aisle. And when he wanted something, he could call in some chips from time to time if he had to do that,” Priddy said. “But  I think a lot of that was his relationships and once he got comfortable with himself as an officeholder as governor, I think he was very good at that.”

Flags around the state will be lowered to half-staff until after Bond’s funeral.

Kehoe announced in a Tuesday afternoon press release that a memorial service will be held for Bond at the Capitol Rotunda at noon Tuesday, May 20. The public is invited to attend and the former senator’s body will be at the Capitol Rotunda for 24 hours following the service.

A closed celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, May 22 at Ladue Chapel Presbyterian Church in St. Louis.

Kit Bond ObituaryDownload

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Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Schneider Electric broke ground Tuesday on a major expansion of its Columbia manufacturing facility.

The company announced an investment of over $700 million in the U.S. this year, with more than $70 million of that directed to the Columbia project. The expansion, at Schneider’s facility in the 4800 block of Paris Road, marks the first milestone associated with the company’s growth amid rising demand for energy.

The expansion will include a warehouse and new lines to build commercial circuit breaker components.

Gov. Mike Kehoe said the project reflects the power of collaboration and what it means for Missouri’s future.

“The win is for the community, the win is for the employees who have great-paying jobs here, so we’re excited to see that,” Kehoe said. “It shows what’s possible when private enterprise, local leadership and a statement government come together on a shared vision for growth.”

According to Schneider Electric, the expansion will create 241 jobs, strengthening Missouri’s position as a hub for advanced manufacturing. The new jobs will pay an average of $24.41 per hour, the company says.

Paul Eisenstein, president of Regional Economic Development Inc., said the expansion create a variety of jobs, including supervisors and technicians.

The $73.6 million project is backed in part by Chapter 100 Bonds, which grant Schneider Electric a $2.3 million property tax break over the next 10 years in exchange for job creation.

Eisenstein said Boone County has a strong, transparent incentive process through Chapter 100. The tax break is only for new facilities and equipment.

“It’s a competitive incentive, but our local taxing jurisdiction,n including the local school system, other jurisdictions, they receive tax funds they otherwise wouldn’t get because Schneider is expanding in our community,” Eisenstein said.

The company has also been approved for state incentives worth more than $4 million.

Kehoe believes those state incentives, such as Missouri Works and the Build Program, help strengthen the state’s economic toolbox.

Eisenstein said Schneider Electric chose Columbia as part of the investment because of the trust the company has in city and county leadership.

“I think Schneider has had a fantastic experience in Columbia and Boone County. I think they love it here. I think they have a great workforce and I also think we have a strong civic infrastructure. They have leaders they can trust, and they have proven that with their investment,” Eisenstein said.

North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas are also part of Schneider Electric’s $700 million U.S. investment, according to the company.

Quinn said the Columbia expansion is expected to be complete by March 2026.

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Matthew Sanders

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Customers stopped a domestic assault in progress in a bathroom at the Jefferson City Hy-Vee store Saturday, according to court documents.

The assault took place when Jeremie M. McClain, 33, of Jefferson City, followed a woman into the bathroom and assaulted her after she tried to end their relationship, a probable cause statement says. McClain verbally abused the woman and choked her, the statement says.

The victim got out when customers intervened, according to the statement. A juvenile was in a nearby bathroom stall during the assault, the statement says.

McClain denied choking the victim and said the confrontation was just an argument, according to documents. However, police say the victim had marks on her neck.

Prosecutors charged McClain on Saturday with first-degree domestic assault. He remained in the Cole County Jail on Monday with no bond.

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